We will bring you all the latest Stoke City news, transfer talk and opinion throughout the day. We would also like to hear from you, so please send us your views via our Stoke City Facebook and Twitter accounts.

19:54Peter Smith

See you tomorrow, Cuco

19:41Peter Smith

Clearance for Cuco

Clearance has come through this evening from the EFL and FA meaning that Gary Rowett could, if he wanted, hand Cuco Martina a debut tomorrow.

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17:32Peter Smith

Ricardo Fuller on that speech he gave at Wembley

Stoke legend and former Preston striker Ricardo Fuller is in the match day programme tomorrow talking about his time at both clubs.

He did a lot of special things on the pitch at Stoke but he recalls a moment in the changing room, at Wembley, ahead of that 5-0 FA Cup semi-final win over Bolton.

“For a week I was thinking about what I was going to say. I read books, I watched films and all sorts of things,” he said.

“I was nervous because I’d never been in that position before where I’m going to give a speech before the game. I just thought, you know what, I’m just going to give it my best shot. I know I’m going to be me and on the day of the game I gave a speech.

“I quoted something that I read that Dr Martin Luther King had said, the legend that he is. I gave the speech and I put it in my way and at the end, I saw the players and they were so focused. Their eyes were like fire. I didn’t know we were going to win 5-0, but I could see where the fire was, it had been lit in their eyes. Everyone was up for the game.

“When the speech was finished, and we always give a shout out at the end, it was the loudest shout out at Wembley. I thought, wow, but I never knew we were going to run riot like that. In the end it was a riot.

“I came on and I was about to grab a goal or two myself, I wanted to get on the scoresheet, but the defender came back out of nowhere to block it on the line. I was gutted! But I was very much happy for the team and how we proved everybody wrong.”

Jack to miss out on England slot?

The Telegraph seem keen to bulldoze Jack Butland out of the England squad now he’s playing in the Championship.

Matt Law’s latest piece on the subject says Gareth Southgate will be watching Alex McCarthy this weekend, as Southampton take on Everton.

We spoke to Butland about his international ambitions earlier this week.

The World Cup was a good experience. I would have loved to have played, but I was delighted to be part of a squad that has done some fantastic things. Hopefully now we can build on that and be a real challenger for the Euros.

I haven’t spoken to Gareth (Southgate) about what it means to be playing in the Championship.

I would like to think that my relationship with Gareth and the understanding he has of me as a goalkeeper means he can overlook the fact that we’re playing in the Championship, because I would obviously love to be a part of it. I know that he values me.

17:08Peter Smith

An unhappy hunting ground

Stoke have lost six of their last seven league matches at Deepdale, winning the other in September 2005 – a 1-0 win via a Paul Gallagher winner. He’ll line up for Preston tomorrow.

Paul Gallagher scores for Stoke City against Preston in a 1-0 win at Deepdale in September 2005.

16:57Peter Smith

... but Stoke still mounted a promotion challenge

Did you know?

Outside the top-flight, the last time Stoke failed to win any of their opening three league matches in a season came in 1991-92 in the third tier.

That season, with Lou Macari having replaced Alan Ball and Graham Paddon, got on a roll soon enough and Mark Stein arrived in September, initially on loan.

Stoke looked good for a top two spot for a long time but were eventually pipped by Brentford and Birmingham - but won the Autoglass Trophy at Wembley and were up the following year as champions.

Stoke City manager Lou Macari a happy man after guiding the club to promotion. (Image: Stoke Sentinel)

16:54Peter Smith

Clinical Benik Afobe

A stat from Opta as we head to Deepdale.

Stoke striker Benik Afobe has scored four goals in his last five league appearances, netting with seven of his last eight shots on target in the Championship.

Benik Afobe celebrates with Tom Ince after scoring during the Sky Bet Championship match between Stoke City and Brentford at the bet365 Stadium. (Image: Nathan Stirk)

16:53Peter Smith

A good omen for Stoke City

Alex Neil has faced Gary Rowett four times previously, all in the Championship – he has never won (D1 L3) and none of his teams have scored a goal, despite attempting 55 shots and 16 shots on target in those games.

Gary Rowett barks orders from the bench as Stoke City take on Brentford. (Image: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

16:40Peter Smith

A sign of low confidence!

Erm...

Stoke fans preparing for heartbreak.

16:28Peter Smith

The best opening day?

On this day in 1974, Stoke beat reigning champions Leeds 3-0 and set about a major title challenge.

Brother Louis...

Louis Moult is a Stokie who spent 10 years with the Potters before drifting into non-league football and then playing in Scotland. But tomorrow he could face the Potters at Preston. So is he bitter? No. Does he want to score against his old team? You bet! Here’s what he’s been saying about the game...

Loans in time for Preston?

If Stoke are going to add anyone to Gary Rowett’s squad in time to take on Preston tomorrow, they’ve got 10 minutes.

Here’s the EFL rulebook on the matter.

43.8 Subject to Regulations 43.2, 43.3 and 57, a Player will only be eligible to play in a match organised by The League if the appropriate forms for his registration or the transfer of his registration (including, for the avoidance of doubt, Temporary Loan Transfers) are received (including by facsimile) and found to be in order by The League by 12.00 noon on the day prior to the date of such match.

Cuco Martina in action for Everton against Stoke last season (Image: Getty)

11:37Peter Smith

This Marc Wilson trick

Every week! But it never paid off as well as it did this time at Anfield.

Happy birthday Marc, 31 today. He’ll be back at Stoke with Bolton on October 2. If any of Stoke’s wingers fall for this, we’ll scream.

11:09Peter Smith

Big Brother is watching Jermaine Pennant

But who is watching Big Brother?

10:16

Madley in the middle

Bobby Madley is in the headlines after a sudden exit from the list of Premier League referees. A statement from the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) said the 32-year-old had decided to ‘relocate due to a change in his personal circumstances’.

But his brother Andrew will be in charge of Stoke’s trip to Preston tomorrow evening in front of the TV cameras.

Referee Andrew Madley. (Image: Catherine Ivill)

08:24

Give us a Clu...

So when will Stoke fans get to see Sam Clucas in action? Well a little longer than at first hoped, it seems. Here’s an update from manager Gary Rowett...

When we signed Sam we, maybe optimistically, thought it would be a couple of weeks before he would be training again, but having assessed it we don’t want to hinder him at all. We want to make sure that when he does come back then his knee is as strong as it has ever been, so at the moment we are looking more towards the international break. We feel that would be a good time to welcome him into the group, because the last thing we want to do is compromise anything, especially when he is progressing well.

Sam Clucas has joined Stoke City as Gary Rowett's seventh signing of the summer. (Image: Phil Greig/Stoke City)

08:13

Bruno or Ash?

Gary Rowett has given fans an update on the fitness of centre-half Bruno Martins Indi and his chances of facing Preston tomorrow. He told the club website...

Bruno came off after 20 minutes and looks like he will be a doubt for the weekend. He tweaked his Achilles and it has caused him some discomfort and he hasn’t been able to train this week, so it is unlikely that he will be available. If not then we have Ashley next in line who I thought looked superb when he came on last weekend.

Bruno Martins Indi goes of injured during the Sky Bet Championship match between Stoke City and Brentford at the bet365 Stadium. (Image: Nathan Stirk)

08:10

Hooked on the big time...

New boy Sam Clucas has played in the top flight with both Hull City and Swansea, and he has been talking about how addictive life in the Premier League can be... and why he’s determined to get back with Stoke City. Here’s what he is saying...

Sam Clucas gets escorted off the pitch after Hull City book their place in the Championship play-off final on their way to promotion to the Premier League in 2016. (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

07:45

In too Deep...

Stoke promotion hero and Sentinel columnist Liam Lawrence will not be at Deepdale tomorrow to watch the Potters take on Preston... and it has nothing to do with the poor performance he witnessed at the bet365 Stadium against Brentford last week. So why are you staying away, Liam?